Concrete and Carbon (broadcast Friday, May 22nd, 2009)

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Phtot by Flickr user magicicada.

How big a role does concrete manufacture play in greenhouse gas emissions? Current estimates say that concrete manufacture could account for as much as five percent of the global carbon footprint. Writing in the Journal of Environmental Engineering, however, researchers say that concrete may actually act as more of a carbon sink that than previously thought, absorbing carbon dioxide and forming chemical compounds inside the porous structure of the building material. We'll talk with one of the authors of the paper about her work.

Guests

Liv Haselbach
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Associate Professor
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

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Segment produced by:Charles Bergquist

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The National Science Foundation